158 AMY.

Amy cuddled down in Bethiah’s ample lap, and looked
up in her face. “I lub you, Siah,” she said. “Siah, what
makes you black ?”

“Deed I dunno, honey; de Lord made me so.”

“Well, never mind, Siah, when you get to heaben I’ll ask
Dod to make you white, and I'll fly wis you, Siah.”

“Bless her heart!” said Bethiah, “she is Siah’s baby.”

Just then the strange woman they had seen up-stairs
opened the door. “Your mamma wants to see you, little
girls,” she said. And they joyfully followed her up-stairs_to
their mamma’s room.

Mamma held out her hand as they went softly in. “Come
here, darlings,” she said. “ Here is a birthday gift for Amy.”

They went to the bedside and saw, lying close to their
mamma, the dearest, pinkest little baby.

“Oh,” exclaimed Amy, in ecstasy, “it is a live doll Is
it for me? Oh, mamma! mamma!”

“For you, and all of us. It is a dear, little, new brother.”

“Oh, may I hold him?” asked Amy.

The nurse bade her sit down, and carefully placed the
treasure in her lap. This was perfect bliss to Amy, and May
had the next privilege.

Then they went back to the kitchen to tell Bethiah all.
about it.

“Oh, Siah !” exclaimed Amy, “there is a real live doll up-
stairs,—a bruver doll. Isn’t that lubly?” And she was so

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